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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. date — the fruit
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. craft — boats
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. craft — a skill
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to click
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. dip — to sink
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. fork — in a road

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com